One-man play highlights cancer battle
One-man play highlights cancer battle
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Gowanda native Justin Regan was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia in mid-2020 and today is cancer free - a story he plans to tell as a one-man play he will perform Saturday, Oct. 3 at Gowanda's Historic Hollywood Theater.
"Basically, I had to get two stem cell transplants as the first one failed," explains Regan, a graduate of Gowanda Central Schools, who now lives in Colorado.
"The play was conceived as I was home bound for nearly two years. To pass the time I started daydreaming about making my journey into a one-man show, just to keep my mind active and creative. I had been involved in the local theatre community out here in Denver since 2013 -- a great hobby for me. I don't purport to be a great actor by any stretch, but I am very comfortable being in front of an audience."
Regan recently celebrated a big milestone in his journey with cancer passing the five-year mark on June 29 since his stem cell transplants
"The impetus to turn my journey into a play was catharsis, education, inspiration and commiseration," says Regan, 65, who ironically is an oncology nurse.
"I'm not a writer, so I enlisted a very good friend who is -- I basically put my heart and soul onto a Google Docs and ran with it and crafted a beautiful script. We touch on things involving the physical, emotional and mental aspects of cancer. I don't shy away from sharing the brutal side effects I experienced either. We talk about the importance of counseling and caregivers as well."
The play highlights touchstone events in his life and how they impacted his journey.
"The resolution becomes a discovery of my purpose in life -- to provide comfort and care for cancer patients and by paying it forward with my charitable work with Blood Cancer United," Regan says.
Regan's play, "Ordinary Guy: Extraordinary Why: A Blood Cancer Journey" will take place at 7 p.m. at the theater, 39 W. Main St. Tickets are $10.
"Justin is a Gowanda Central School Graduate and a classmate of a Theater Board Member, that’s how we found out about it," explains Amelia Jarzynski, board member of Gowanda’s Historic Hollywood Theater.
"When I initially posted about performing my play out here in Colorado, a few friends suggested that I should bring it back to the majestic Hollywood Theater," Regan says. "Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think this would be a thing, but here we are and I can't be more stoked about – it's like my 'Carnegie Hall.' "